Hyderabad: Legal experts say that there is no special provision in the law to protect men when they are the victims of abuse. However, certain laws can be used against them easily.
High Court advocate Momin Roshan Zameer said that in case of abuse of men, action has to be taken under the Indian Penal Code.
“The onus is on men to prove that they are not guilty and that they have not been abusing. Section 498 (A), which has to be used carefully, is being misused against men,” Mr Zameer said.
Advocate C.V.L. Nar-simha Rao said, “In the last few years many marital disputes have taken a criminal turn, which is disturbing. There are two aspects: either they are suffering silently and there is no support system in place or the law is being misused.”
He cited a case in Amberpet, Hyderabad, in 2006 where the man was accused of killing his wife’s family due to a wrong case. “The man was acquitted due to lack of evidence. But it goes to show the manner in which the retaliation occurred,” Mr Rao said.
When there is evidence of abuse, advocate W. Rachana said, “It is very important that the right process of speedy justice is followed as it gives the victim and their family a sense of closure. If cases are prolonged, acrimony increases and this causes more problems for the aggrieved parties.”
